Careers

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity

Duke University is committed to encouraging and sustaining work and learning environments that are free from harassment and prohibited discrimination. The university prohibits discrimination and harassment in the administration of both its employment and educational policies. Equal employment and educational opportunities are provided without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, or disability. Duke University also makes good faith efforts to recruit, hire and promote qualified women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans.

Duke BME Faculty Expansion Initiative

Duke Engineering’s Department of Biomedical Engineering has entered into a phase of rapid growth. This expansion is motivated by the recognition that we are on the cusp of a new era, driven by the revolutionary changes in how biomedical research will be performed and how it will alter the practice of medicine in the near future. Biomedical engineering, located at the nexus of the physical and biomedical sciences, will play a major role in enabling these advances. To capitalize on the opportunity offered by this rapidly changing landscape, in 2014-2015 we added four new faculty to our ranks and plan to recruit another 10 tenured and tenure-track faculty in the next four to five years.

Posted University and Department Positions

Faculty

Professor of the Practice – First-Year Design

Professor of the Practice and Director of Pratt First-year Design Experience

The Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University invites applications for a non-tenure track faculty position to lead the implementation of a signature first-year design curriculum for all its students. We view engineering as a creative, design-centered discipline addressing society’s grand challenges.

This signature experience will allow all Pratt first year students to become comfortable with problem-based learning and design. Applications particularly invited from candidates who have developed design curricula and/or have industrial experience in the area of design. The Pratt School of Engineering student body is a highly selective and diverse group of students who comprise approximately 20% of the undergraduate student body at Duke University.

Candidates are expected to have a doctoral degree in: biomedical, civil, electrical, computer, environmental, or mechanical engineering, or a closely related field. Successful candidates are expected to have an exceptional teaching record, experience in building a curriculum, and the ability to offer a positive, experiential design experience for our students. We seek faculty members committed to building a diverse and inclusive community that fosters excellence in research and teaching. A regular rank, non-tenure track appointment at the assistant, associate or full professor level is anticipated. The faculty appointment will be in one or more of four departments: Biomedical Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science.

Applicants should submit a cover letter (email, address, and phone number must be included) describing their interests and qualification and a curriculum vitae along with the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email contacts of three references electronically through AcademicJobsOnline (https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/8143).

Managing Director, iMSEI

The new interdisciplinary Materials Science and Engineering Institute (iMSEI) at Duke University invites applications for a Managing Director position.

The individual will be involved in and manage, in coordination with the Institute Director, the day-to-day development and growth of an institute that consolidates and advances a key area at Duke that is now spread between different faculty, departments, and schools. This is a major opportunity requiring interaction with and integration of key players across Duke, along with outside stakeholders, to build a leading entity that reflects Duke's brand of materials science. Focus areas include solutions to interdisciplinary and strategic global materials challenges in health, energy and photonics/electronics, and integration of research and education to train next generation Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) leaders. Additional activities that the Managing Director will lead and pursue, with the assistance of an administrative assistant, include: development of web-based and other communications channels for prospective students, corporate partners and donors; implementation of fund raising (industry, government and private) and pre- and post-award contract management activities; and assembly of financial and annual reports. A key element of the Institute’s activities will be to implement and support a new set of graduate programs (led by an Education Director). Although the primary role of this position will be day-to-day operations of the institute, technical involvement with research projects within the Institute could also be envisioned for candidates that desire this and that have an appropriate background.

Candidates are expected to have a minimum of 3 years relevant experience beyond a Master’s degree or a PhD degree, with at least the undergraduate component of their education in an engineering/science field. Experience with administrative management (e.g., of a large program or institute/center), including proficiency in communications, budgeting, grants and contracts, personnel supervision and project management, with the ability to assist with technical aims, is preferred. Ability to work with people from different technical and sciences backgrounds, and in a variety of research settings or programs (especially within a university setting) is essential. The successful candidate must have excellent communication and demonstrated leadership skills.

Applicants should electronically submit: a curriculum vitae, cover letter, names and contact information for three references to iMSEIsearch@duke.edu

Applications received until the position is filled. For best consideration please submit applications by June 17, 2016.

Tenure Track Positions

Tenure-Track Faculty: Cellular Bioengineering

The Department of Biomedical Engineering in the Duke University Pratt School of Engineering invites applications for a tenure track faculty position. Applications are invited from candidates who will develop highly impactful basic and/or translational research in the area of Cellular Bioengineering.

We will consider applicants who work on all aspects of cellular engineering involving prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. We particularly seek individuals who are developing new technologies to precisely control cell fate and function. Although all application areas will be considered, main areas of interest are stem cells and regenerative medicine, organ-on-chip and disease modeling, genome engineering of cells for therapeutic applications, immunoengineering for tissue regeneration and therapy, and microbiome engineering. Candidates are expected to have a doctoral degree in biomedical engineering, bioengineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or any relevant biological disciplines including cell and developmental biology, genetics, or molecular biology. Applications from physician-scientists are also encouraged. Successful candidates are expected to have an established and innovative research record, be capable of obtaining competitive external research funding, and actively teach and mentor at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. We seek faculty members committed to building a diverse and inclusive community that fosters excellence in research and teaching. A tenure track appointment at the Assistant Professor level is anticipated, but appointments at the Associate or Full Professor level with tenure are available for exceptional applicants. Possibilities for joint or secondary appointments with the Schools of Medicine and Arts and Sciences exist.

Applicants should submit a cover letter (email, address, and phone number must be included), research statement, teaching statement, a curriculum vitae and a list of the names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail contacts of five references. All applicants are strongly encouraged to create a publicly accessible Google Scholar profile. Applications must be submitted electronically through AcademicJobsOnline.org (https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/7979).

All applications will be considered until the position is filled but for best consideration, please submit applications by November 1, 2016.

Research Faculty Positions

No positions available at this time.

Professor of the Practice Positions

No positions available at this time.

Staff & Post-Doctoral

Department Science Writer

Occupational Summary

Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering is an ambitious research and teaching institution dedicated to training the next generation of engineering leaders and developing solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing the world today—from improving human health to sustaining our environment to advancing global connectivity. We are looking for an energetic, talented storyteller to help convey the unique strengths of Duke Engineering to key audiences both locally and nationwide, with a particular focus on advancing the strategic goals of our highly ranked departments.

A member of the Duke Engineering communications team, the Departmental Science Writer will spend 50% of the time covering the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and also contribute to communications for Civil & Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering and other programs as assigned. The position reports to the Executive Director for Marketing and Communications.

Work Performed

The Departmental Science Writer will work closely with department leaders and other members of the school and university communications teams to ensure all work performed is closely aligned with overarching marketing communications efforts and strategic goals.

Specific duties include:

Reporting: Develop and maintain productive, positive relationships with department faculty and program leaders; initiate and attend relevant meetings to gain broad knowledge of current research, educational programs and faculty expertise in order to inform communications strategy and storytelling.

Writing, editing and multimedia content production: Write stories of various lengths for Duke Engineering and department websites, in e-newsletters, in printed publications, on social media and other channels. Produce and/or coordinate production of multimedia content including photos, audio and video and infographics. Examples of work produced could include long-form research features, alumni profiles, graduate student success stories, social media posts, and marketing brochures and mailers focused on department achievements or educational programs.

Publications management: Manage production of departmental e-newsletters and print publications, including editing and coordinating graphic design, photography, and reviews.

Web editing: Post articles and other content to school and department websites using Drupal content management system. Training will be provided.

Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein. The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

Qualifications:

Work requires a proven ability to write compelling stories, proof and edit copy, and interpret and communicate scientific research to lay audiences. Experience producing videos or photography is not required, but a plus.

Candidates should hold at least a bachelor’s degree and have a minimum of two years of professional writing experience, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

To apply:

Applications should be submitted at https://hr.duke.edu/careers/apply – please search for requisition number 401196808. (Note that the classification title in the HR system is “Public Relations Specialist Senior.”) Please include links to or PDFs of three writing samples in your cover letter. We look forward to welcoming a motivated, enthusiastic team member to help us share the exciting and important work going on at Duke Engineering.

Postdoc Position: Image Processing

There is an immediate opening in the Vision and Image Processing (VIP) Laboratory at Duke University Biomedical Engineering Department (http://www.duke.edu/~sf59) for a Postdoctoral Research Associate interested in interdisciplinary applications of image processing with emphasis on Adaptive Optics (AO) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). Applicants with expertise (and publications) in AO-SLO/OCT hardware design and implementation will be also considered.

Post-doc will be supervised by Prof. Sina Farsiu in collaboration with Prof. Joseph A. Izatt and other senior professors from Duke University Biomedical Engineering Department, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, and Duke University School of Medicine.

Requirement: PhD in EE, BME, or CS. Previous experience in ophthalmic sciences or optical coherence tomography is a plus but not necessary.

The candidate must have a demonstrated strong background in image processing, especially image segmentation, as evidenced by publication of papers in high-impact peer-reviewed journals (TIP, PAMI, TMI, BOE, CVPR, etc) in the past three years.

Candidates will be considered for a wide range of interdisciplinary projects funded by NIH in VIP laboratory. Projects can be chosen based on the interests and background of the individual candidate.

The positions will remain open until filled. Interested candidates may send CV in PDF format to sina.farsiu@duke.edu .

Postdoc Position: Protein Engineering for Tools in Neuroscience

A postdoctoral position in developing protein tools for neuroscience is available in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University. The lab is interested in expanding the set of tools to optically record and control neural activity using novel protein tools and microscopy tools. Recent publications of the lab are geared toward optical voltage imaging (http://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2015/11/18/science.aab0810.full). This opportunity also includes training in innovative microscopy technologies and animal preparations. The interdisciplinary projects in the lab will include opportunities for collaboration with investigators in Engineering, Biology, and Neurobiology at Duke. Together, the diverse opportunities for research will prepare candidates to establish an independent research program in modern neuroscience, investigating the complete pathway from molecular biology to animal behavior.

Applicants should have completed a Ph.D. in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, biophysics, neuroscience, neurobiology, molecular or cell biology, or related fields with strong experimental background, academic history, and publication record. Because of the broad nature of studies in protein engineering and neuroscience, experience in the following could significantly improve the depth and reach of undertaken projects:

Molecular biology

Probability and Statistics

Basic programming

Oral and written communication

Qualified candidates should submit a CV, the names and contact information of three (3) references, and cover letter with description of research interests directly to Yiyang Gong at neuroscience.toolbox@gmail.com.

Postdoc Associate: Large-scale hemodynamic simulations

The Randles Lab has an immediate opening for a Postdoctoral Associate to conduct applied research in the area of large-scale hemodynamic simulations.

We are interested in questions that are of crucial importance for vascular disease research, and we use mathematical and computational techniques to approach them. In particular, we are coupling a kinetic representation of fluid mechanics with a deformable representation of suspended bodies and vessel walls to create patient-specific simulations of hemodynamics.

Such methods are extremely computationally intense and require use of large-scale supercomputers. The focus of the candidate will be on the development and application of multiscale/multiphysics software to study the localization and progression of disease. The position is available for immediate hire with a two-year term and opportunity for additional annual renewal contingent on performance and funding availability.

Demonstrated effective verbal and written communication skills necessary to author technical and scientific reports and papers and to deliver scientific presentations.

Publication record in peer-reviewed journals and/or conferences.

Experience with the lattice Boltzmann method is preferred

Qualified candidates should submit a CV, three references, and cover letter with description of research interests directly to Amanda Randles at amanda.randles@duke.edu.

Postdoc Associate: High-performance scientific computing

The Randles Lab has an immediate opening for a Postdoctoral Associate to conduct applied research and development in the area of high-performance scientific computing.

The focus of the candidate will be on research and software development in the computational fluid-structure interaction domain with the goal to improve or develop new algorithms for multicore architectures. This work will be completed as part of a wider multidisciplinary team developing patient-specific hemodynamic models to provide insight into the development and progression of disease.

To date, the code scales with high efficiency to 1.6 million cores of the Blue Gene/Q supercomputer. The candidate will develop methods to scale the application on heterogeneous architectures including GPUs. This position is available for immediate hire with a two-year term and opportunity for additional annual renewal contingent on performance and funding availability.

The successful candidate will have: a PhD in Computer Science, Scientific Computing, or Applied Mathematics, strong programming skills, experience with GPU programming, and experience with MPI and parallel programming.

Qualified candidates should submit a CV, three references, and cover letter with description of research interests directly to Amanda Randles at amanda.randles@duke.edu.

A postdoctoral position in gene therapy, regenerative medicine, genetic reprogramming, and protein engineering is available in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University. The position is associated with an NIH Director’s New Innovator Award for engineering enhanced morphogenetic factors for genetic reprogramming and regenerative medicine. This interdisciplinary project includes opportunities for collaboration with investigators in Engineering, Surgery, Pediatrics, and Medical Genetics at Duke. This project also includes training in innovative technologies that can serve as a foundation for future research projects in diverse areas of medicine and basic science.

Applicants should have completed a PhD in biomedical engineering, molecular or cell biology, genetics, pharmacy/pharmacology or related field and have experience and interests in protein engineering, stem cell differentiation, genetic reprogramming, and/or regenerative medicine. Candidates should have a strong experimental background, academic history, and publication record, as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills. Candidates should email a CV with publication record, a description of research interests, and the names and contact information of 3 possible references directly to Dr. Charles Gersbach at charles.gersbach@duke.edu. Additional information about the research group is available at http://gersbach.bme.duke.edu.

Laboratory Staff Research Positions

Associate in Research

Requirements for the position: BS or higher degree in Engineering, plus at least two years experience in optics laboratory work including optical design and optical system assembly. Skills in Matlab and/or C/C++ programming required. Skills in electronics prototyping and mechanical design (Solidworks) would be helpful.

Initial term: 12 months, beginning ASAP.

Duties: Conduct research in optical coherence tomography technology development, including optical design, prototyping, and testing. Participation in preparation and presentation of research results. Computer programming in Matlab and C/C++. Position involves supporting extensive collaborative activities with Duke Medical School faculty, including conducting collaborative animal and human subjects research studies at Duke Hospital and Duke BME. Position also involves limited administrative support of PI's laboratory including financial accounting and laboratory safety assurance.

This position reports directly to Professor Joseph A. Izatt. Candidates should email their CV and contact information for references directly to Professor Izatt: